Christian Depression

What does Christian depression look like? I'm not interested in arguing whether Christians should or shouldn't experience depression. Neither will I attempt to dig up causes of depression in a Christian's life. All I desire to do is get the shape of depression for one who claims forgiveness for their wrongs through Jesus.

First, Christian depression has a bottom. One of the last questions a person sliding into depression often asks is "Will this be the one I don't come out of?" For the Christian we can know that God can reach us at our deepest point. King David, who shows many signs of depression in his songs, poetically describes God this way, 

"Psalm 139:7-12 Where can I go from your Spirit? Where can I flee from your presence? If I go up to the heavens, you are there; if I make my bed in the depths, you are there. If I rise on the wings of the dawn,if I settle on the far side of the sea, even there your hand will guide me,your right hand will hold me fast. If I say, 'Surely the darkness will hide meand the light become night around me,' even the darkness will not be dark to you;the night will shine like the day,for darkness is as light to you." 

Note that as low as I can go and God is there. As dark as my life gets, God is not thrown, but can see right to me. God meets Job at his lowest.  Angels are sent to Jesus in the Garden of despair. With a gentle whisper, God calls to Elijah, who wanted to die. For the Christian, God can be experienced in the black pit of depression.

Second, Christian depression can have a purpose. Those watching their loved one wallow and ache and scratch against tons of negative emotion scream against the meaningless torture. Job's three friends sat with him as his life lay in shambles around him. Every effort they made to put his life back was argued down, as Job was determined to make sense of it himself. The last chapters of the book show God revealing himself in wonder and wisdom. Right after this Job makes this statement, "Job 42:5 My ears had heard of you, but now my eyes have seen you." Job's struggles and anguish brought him to the place where God revealed Himself in a profound way. Job's depression was used of God to bring Job to a new connection with him.